Formaldehyde-lamp.



Patented May I I900.

3. RAUSCHENBERG. FURIIALDEHYDE LAMP.

(Application filed Apr. 2'7, 1899.)

(No Model.)

WITNESSES IN VENTOR UNITED STATES PATENT Fries.

s1 [)NEY RAUsUllENllERG, on MOUNT VERNON, NEWYORK.

FORMALDEHYDE-LAM P.

srnormca'rron forming part of Iletters Patent No. 648,79 dated r '1,

as... filed April 27, 1899.

To all whom it may concei n:

Be it known that I, SIDNEY RAUSCHENBERG,

of Mount Vernon, in the county of Westchestor and State of New York, have invented a new and Improved Apparatus for Producing Formaldehyde,of which the following is a full,

clear, and exact description. v

This invention relates to an apparatus for producing formaldehyde.

In the usual practice formaldehyde is pro duced by passing air and methyl alcohol vapor over glowing coke, platina, or copper, and in this method the process is not well under control, and hence there is dangerof explosion of the alcohol-vapor, and, further, the resulting product is not of uniform purity. The object of my invention, therefore, is to provide a simple means by which the pure formaldehyde may be quickly and easily produced.

I will describe an apparatus for producing formaldehyde embodyingmy inventiomand then point out the novel features in the appended claims.

Reference is to be had to the acgompanying.

drawing, forming'a part of thisspecification,

in which a sectional elevation of an apparatus embodying my invention is shown.

The process employedby me consists,

broadly, in bringing methyl-alcohol vapor in the-presence of air in contact with a red-hotabsorbent medium," which I term a converter. This medium consists of asbestos fiber or fabric or similar material that will carry liquid joy-capillary attraction. The asbestos' fiber is prepared by charging it with either manganeseoxide, copper oxide, ironvapor. The chemical reaction is as follows.

The" methyl-alcohol vapors, int, eombinatiorr': with the-regulated air-supply'whenbrought' a ents. The methyl alcohol may be supplied asbestos acting as a wick,o r it may be broughtin contact with it in the form of s rain). 714,748. (amino air, producing one molecule of formaldehyde and one of water. Thus:

Referring to the drawing, 1 designates a fount for containing". methyl alcohol. Extended through thefount is a central draft tube 2, which also forms sa-n-inner tube for a cotton wicking 3, which is surrounded by the of the fount and having at its upper end asupport 5 for a chimney 6. .may-be raised and lowered by means of a ring 7, which engages f the lower end of the wick top of the fountfl- A portion of the central draft tubeywitl'iimthe chimney 6 isprovided regulatingthe draft through the tube. Su draft-tube 21is a converter 11, consisting of as 'bestostreated with a dehydrogenizing agent.

The device shown in the drawing is designed more particularly maldehydeinto arooin or other place desired to bepurified; To start the production of hol in the fount, the wick 3 is' to be raised until its upper end comes in contact with the converter 11, so that the said wick by capillary attraction will carry the ward through the converter 11 a by capillary attraction. Upon, removing the chimney 6 verter: 1S

theiconverter ,is aglow. Now blow out the supply of methyl alcohol. in the fount. T0

downward out of'engagement with the con verter.

for discharging fors'sv outer wick-tube 4, extended through the tube The-wicking 3 5* and has a rod 8 extended upward throughthe' with a numberoff-perforations 9, and on the top'of -h9.l5flh6;2=' i$ a perforated cap 101for' ported upon'=th e perforated portionlof the formaldehydeafter placing the methyl alcoalcohol upward, which will also pass fromsaid wickand up the alcohol at the lower portion of the con to be ignited-and allowed to burn a fewminutes until it is seen that a portion of '9 flan1e and replace the chimney and formaldeh'yde will be produced as long as there is a,

stopthe operation, the wick 3 must be moved v Having thus described my invention, 1; claim asnew and desire to secure byLetters';

Patent-- 1.' An apparatus for producing formalde- 'hyde,

i afountfor methyl 196 on the principle of a lamp, comprising alcohol, an asbestos con A,

. to the converter, an

verter prepared with piatina and metallic oxides, a. wick for carrying the methyl alcohol a chimney,.substantiaily as specified.

2. An apparatus for producing formaldehyde, comprising a fount for methyl alcohol, a central-draft--tnbe extended through said fount and above the same where it is provided with perforations, a. converter supportedon the perforated portion'of the tube and consisting of asbestos treated with a dehydrogenizing agent, a wick movable into engagement with the lower end of said con verter, and a chimney surrounding the converter,

15 substantially as specified.

3. An apparatus for producing formaldehyde, comprising a fount v for containing methyl alcohol, a draft-tube extended upward through said fount and above the same where it is provided with perforations, a perforated cap on the upper end of the tube, a, converter supported on the perforated portion of the tube, a wick movable into engagement with the lower end of said converter, and a chimney surrounding the converter, substantially as specified.

SIDNEY RAUSCHENBERG. Witnesses:

EVERARD BOLTON MARSHALL, 0. R. FERGUSON. i 

